Robinson`s Middle School Musicians

Transcription

Robinson`s Middle School Musicians
James W.
Secondary School
AprilRobinson
2016
MEDALLION
The Medallion
5035 Sideburn Road Fairfax, VA 22032
Volume 44, Issue 3
April 2016
Partnership Class
Partnership is a high school elective that is
worth one credit. In the class students interact
with CAT B students. According to staff members
Kathy Skocik and Karen Baxter, “CAT B students
are students with intellectual disabilities– differing
abilities shown in various ways unique to their
strengths.”
Students may not just sign up for this class, there
is an application to complete first. “We normally
have an application process and then an interview. After that we make our selection based on
how much space we have in the class. I think we
are going to have 35 students in the class next
year,” said Mrs. Schaaf and Mrs. Neun.
Partnership class is run in a very similar manner
to student government. Students are put into
Mrs. Schaaf
leadership groups. Each
group works on various
projects over the course of
the school year. Students
also work on advertising
activities by making flyers,
and recording clips for
GMR. Some of the projects they work on are activities like Fan Quest, Special Olympics, and Day
Prom.
Day Prom is a special event just for CAT B students. Students go to a hotel in a limo and dress
in prom gowns and tuxedos. 95% of the kids participate in the Special Olympics. Some games
played in the Special Olympics are soccer, basketball, and track and field.
with disabilities are able to get into
peer groups, have friends and to
feel included in their high school. I
also think the other kids that take
the class are able to take on a
leadership role, but also they are
learning to just be themselves in
the class, and they don’t have to worry about
peer pressure or acting a specific way in class.
Mrs. Neun says...
“I was involved with Partners Club before and knew about the need for social inclusion with the
kids with disabilities. We [Mrs. Schaaf and Mrs. Neun] brainstormed an idea about partnership being
a class where students with disabilities would be able to work with general ed. kids. I think this
brought more friendships, love and compassion for both groups of kids. For students with disabilities it
is more acceptance and a sense of belonging that maybe they wouldn't have had before. It makes
special ed. kids feel more comfortable in school because they know more people.”
Matthew and Colin’s Friendship
“I love helping these kids, especially Matthew
Boyd. I met Matthew in Spanish at the beginning
of the year. This class makes me humble and
appreciate what I have. I think everyone should
know how these kids live their lives
and do day to day things. They
are also really sweet. Helping the
kids is my favorite part of the
class,” said Colin McGregore,
11th.
Partnership Q & A
By Hadi, Riley and Bailey
Partnership Teachers
Q:What made you decide to create this class
We used to do a class that was similar to Robinson Partnership many years ago. We wanted to
have a class that was inclusive at Robinson that
includes students with intellectual disabilities.
Q:What impacts have you seen on the kids lives?
We have seen many impacts on kids. I think the
break down of the social barrier, and students
Volume 44, Issue 3
“I do enjoy it [Partnership class] and it helps me
get to know lots of kids I didn't know before. [My
favorite part of the class is] definitely
doing the activities like planning Day
Prom, Fan Quest and Food Fridays. [I
made a connection with] Colin
McGregore, he really gets me when
I'm upset. He gets me for who I am
and respects me for who I am,” said
Matthew Boyd, 10th.
Keiley McCarthy, 12th
Q: Why did you take partnership?
I worked with Chas (CAT B
student) sophomore year
when I was on the girls basketball team. I found out Coach Schaaf
was making a class and I wanted to be
involved with the CAT B kids.
Q: How has this class impacted your life?
I formed a lot of friendships with CAT B
and general ed. kids. This class has allowed me to branch out and get a
whole new group of friends.
Q: Would you recommend this class?
Yes, you get to meet a lot of great people and have fun.
Q: What is your favorite part about this
class?
Getting to interact with the CAT B kids
and getting to help them with life skills. I
love working with the CAT B students
because they are so sweet and never
fail to put a smile on my face.
Brennen
McCarthy, 11th
Q: Why did you take
partnership?
I worked with Chas my
sophomore year when I
played for JV Basketball; he was our
manager. He then became manager for
Robinson Soccer and we became really
close. I love being able to interact with
him, and I wanted to interact with the
other CAT B kids.
Q: How has this class impacted your life?
It taught me about other disabilities and
how you shouldn’t treat someone by
their disability; they are people too.
Q: Would you recommend this class?
I would recommend this class because
you get a chance to make great friends
and help other kids out.
Q: What is your favorite part about this
class?
Having CAT B kids teach us new things
and interacting with them.
Danielle Valenti,
12th
Wesley Kittelberger,
12th
Q: Why did you take
partnership?
When I was growing
up I knew kids with disabilities but I never
really worked with them in a close setting. I felt like this was a good opportunity to meet cool people.
Q: How has this class impacted your life?
By far the best class I’ve ever taken because all the people I’ve met that I
wouldn't normally meet are so inspirational about how they go about their
days.
Q: Would you recommend this class?
Yes definitely, it is a class where you just
have fun, the more fun you have the
higher grade you get. That’s a class I
think everyone would want to be in.
Q: What is your favorite part about this
class?
The friends I’ve made and the people
I’ve gotten closer with.
Q: Why did you take partnership?
I want to pursue a career
in education after high
school and college so I wanted to take a
class that would be similar to my post
grad studies.
Q: How has this class impacted your life?
It has taught me a lot about how you
can interact in all different types of ways
with different types of people.
Q: Would you recommend this class?
I would recommend this class because
everyone in it has the biggest hearts and
can easily put a smile on your face.
Q: What is your favorite part about this
class?
Sitting down and talking to lots of students about their day and getting a
chance to get to know them.
Robinson’s Middle School Musicians
Musical Geniuses
By Emily and Alexa
Gigi, 7th
Emalie , 8th
Olivia, 8th
How and why did
you choose your
instrument?
I chose the violin
when I was six
and I had seen
Julia Fischer perform. I fell in love
with the beauty and emotion
that she performed with and I
knew that I had to play the
violin as well.
What is your biggest
achievment in music so
far?
My biggest achievement in music is
either performing with the United
States Army Band or with the Manassas Symphony. They were both amazing opportunities.
What is your biggest
achievement in
music so far?
Being first chair, it
was a validation
that I was a good
player. I felt like I
accomplished
something.
How and why did you choose your
instrument?
In fourth grade everyone was choosing the violin or viola and I wanted
to be different from everyone else.
What are your goals in music?
To become better and better each
day.
What has been your favorite song to play
so far this year?
Well probably “La Cinquantaine”. It’s
my solo.
What is your biggest
achievement in music
so far?
My biggest achievement is being accepted into All State Choir
which is an audition
choir of 200 girls all
around Virginia.
What are your goals in music?
My goal is to be able to sing wherever I
go and collaborate with other people
as a musician.
What has been your favorite song to
sing so far this year?
“S’vivon” was my favorite. The song was
in Hebrew and had an eerie feel to it. It
just sounded really beautiful.
Sarai, 8th
Cameron, 8th
Nathan, 8th
What are your
goals in music?
I want to improve
and sing to my
best ability.
What has been
your favorite
song to sing so far this year?
“Reel a Bouche” has been my favorite song because it is so beautiful
and unique.
What is your biggest achievement in
music so far?
I think the friends I have made
through chorus have had the biggest impact on me.
How and why did you
choose your instrument?
My dad played the drums
all through high school and
we have had a drum kit in
our house since I was born.
One day I started playing
and that was that.
Do you think that you will continue playing in college and beyond?
I know that I will always love to play, even
if I don’t continue band into college. It’s
something I will always be proud of.
Do you like your instrument?
I love my instrument, it’s a great way to
relieve stress.
What are your goals
in music?
To start playing level
five music on the
higher end of the
scale.
What has been your
favorite song to play so far this year?
Explain.
“Capriccio Espagnol”. I feel like it will
become a very enjoyable song once
we start practicing it.
What is your biggest achievement in
music so far? Explain.
Being assistant concertmaster. This is the
highest position I have ever held in any
orchestra.
1
Yo-Yo Ma
Instrument: Cello
Date of birth:
10/7/1955
How Yo-Yo Ma got
started: By the
age of four he
knew how to play
the piano, violin
and viola, but decided to
focus on the cello. Yo-Yo
played for President Eisenhower and President Kennedy when he was seven.
School: Yo-Yo attended the
Julliard School, Columbia
Stevie
Wonder
Instruments:
Piano, harmonica, and vocals
Date of Birth:
5/13/1950
Young Life: Wonder was born six
weeks premature which
caused him to lose his eyesight as an infant.
How Stevie got started: After
playing an original song for
a member of The Miracles,
he was given an audition
with Motown who signed
him immediately. Stevie was
eleven years old. At age 13,
Wonder had his first number
one hit on the Billboard Hot
100 with “What Key? What
Key?”. He was the youngest
person ever to achieve this.
University and
eventually graduated from Harvard.
Albums: Yo-Yo
has over 90 albums, 18 of them
are Grammy
Award Winners.
Playing Styles: Classical, Chinese melodies, Brazilian, Blue
Grass and tangoes
Fun Fact: His primary cello is
named “Petunia.” It was
made in 1733 and is valued
at $2.5 million.
Stats: Wonder has
recorded over 30
U.S. Top Ten Hits.
He has won 25
Grammy Awards,
the most earned
by any male solo
artist.
School: Wonder
studied Classical Piano at
the Michigan School for the
Blind.
Musical Styles: Jazz, R and B,
Pop, Reggae, Soul, Funk,
and Rock and Roll
Popular songs by Stevie:
 “Superstition”
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“You Are the Sunshine
of My Life”
“I Just Called to Say I
Love You”
“Ebony and Ivory” with
Paul McCartney
“Isn’t She Lovely”
The Medallion
April 2016
New Full House Spin-off
Did you love
the 90’s hit sitcom Full House
as a child?
Well, the Tanner’s are back,
in the thirteen
episode Netflix
revival, Fuller House. The cast has reunited, and
are preparing for another season.
Fuller House contains all of the original cast,
excluding the Olsen twins, who are rumored to
be joining in the second season. The first episode
is a reunion after DJ’s husband, Tommy, died.
Tommy was a firefighter and died while on the
job. All of the Full House family is there, except for
Michelle who is pursuing her fashion career in
New York. The cast is producing almost the same
show, with nostalgic laughter and tears everywhere. Although some fans love it, others find it
less believable.
“I think reunion shows can be tricky. If you don't
capture the magic of what was in the past, it can
really be a dud,” said Lori Loughlin, Los Angeles
Times.
When DJ needed a place to live after her husband died, her father ditches his plans of selling
the house and gives it to DJ and her sons. Now,
the Tanner-Fuller’s are living in the original Tanner
house where DJ grew up. The set has barely
been changed at all, only modernized. They
have added in a mudroom where the laundry
space used to be, and added additions to the
kitchen, such as granite countertops and stainless
steel appliances. Otherwise, the house looks exactly the same; from the children's drawings
hanging on the island in the kitchen to the blue
and white checkered couch in the family room.
By Erin
The Fuller House storyline is just like Full
House, but the roles have been
swapped. D.J. is a widowed mother to
three boys (ages 13, 7, and baby/
toddler), while Danny was a single dad
with three girls. DJ’s childhood best
friend, Kimmy Gibbler, and little sister,
Stephanie Tanner, move in with DJ to
help her. DJ is a full time veterinarian,
and with three kids that can be very
difficult. When Stephanie and Kimmy
moved in, they both had things they left
behind and things they brought with
them. Stephanie gave up her music
career to help DJ; and recently divorced, Kimmy Gibbler, also moves in to
help. With her, she brings her 13 year old
daughter, Ramona.
On the other hand, in Full House, Danny Tanner’s brother in-law Jesse, and
best friend Joey, moved in with him. All
of the adults have gone elsewhere.
Danny has moved to Los Angeles to star
in Wake Up USA with Aunt Becky, Joey
became a comedian in Las Vegas, and
Uncle Jesse is the music composer for
General Hospital.
Reunions can be hard, and sometimes, if you change something too
much, the fans won’t like it. There are
still many similar things about the two
shows, such as the set and the cast.
“The original Full House was
definitely more believable
to me and had much better acting. In Fuller House it
almost seemed cheesy
and wasn't very enjoyable
to watch. I definitely like the original Full
Wacky Marvel Superheroes
“The Full House cast looks
very similar today in Fuller
House. Of course the kids
got older and have aged,
but many of the adults look
somewhat the same and act the same.
I would love to see Michelle come back
because she was my favorite character
on the show!” said Riley, 8th.
You know all of the popular superheroes like Captain America and Iron Man, but how
much do you know about Hellcow or Spider-Ham? Some of the less popular superheroes
are interesting characters as well. “I haven’t heard about these interesting superheroes
and I would love to learn about them and their wacky talents. I can’t wait to hear more
about them and hope more people can learn about them and their weird powers,” said
Erin Jones, 7th.
Howard the Duck
The quacky superhero Howard the Duck was a duck themed fighter of crime
from New Stork City on the planet Duckworld. Howard looked very much like a
duck except for arms and hands covered in feathers and his lack of wings. His
parents neglected him as a child so he wasn’t too upset when he was sent to
Earth by the demon Thog. He worked with famous heroes like Spider-Man before falling in love with the young model Beverly Switzler. Howard has been a
cab driver, a nursing home attendant, a poster child, a show director, a computer salesman, an actor, a dishwasher, a wrestler, a construction worker, and a poet. At one point,
he was actually a candidate for the US presidency! The duck got a college degree and
was trained in the ancient art of Quack Fu. “I think he’d be a good superhero. If I was a
superhero I would team up with him,” said Darci, 7th.
Squirrel Girl
Squirrel Girl Doreen Green had a genetic mutation that gave her a tail
and squirrel-like features as well as enhanced strength, sharp reflexes,
speed, agility, small claws, enlarged incisors and a retractable knuckle
spike. As a teenager, she defeated Doctor Doom to save her idol Iron
Man. Sadly, he declined her offer for a partnership but referred her to
some of his superhero friends. Squirrel Girl worked as a solo hero in Central Park before she joined the Great Lakes Champions, formerly the
Great Lakes Avengers. Her army of squirrels do her bidding, and she has
a squirrel named Tippy-Toe who she considers to be one of her best
friends. Squirrel Girl has a crush on the superhero Speedball who was given his powers by
bubbles from another dimension. “I think she might be helpful in some situations but I think
she’s more of a sidekick comic relief type of character. I think she’d be a little less powerful,
but a lot more fun [than popular superheroes],” said Lauren, 7th.
Ashley Crawford, alias Big Bertha, was a superhero who could use her
mutant powers to shape her figure. Her powers allowed her to mold,
shrink, and expand the fat in her body, which was useful to her as both
a supermodel and a superhero. The blue eyed beauty was also a part
of the Great Lakes Champions and used her fortune from her modeling career to fund them. She was six feet tall as a supermodel but seven feet four inches as Big Bertha. Her powers included super strength,
jumping very high, and durability. Additionally, to return to her normal
size, Ashley had to throw up. “It’s cool that she can expand her fat. I
wouldn’t team up with her if I was a superhero because she’s not that
useful,” said Noah, 8th.
Middle School Managers
By Ellie and Erin
Did you know that you can
manage a sports team?
Did you know that you can be involved in high school sports now? Did you know that you could manage sports at Robinson? Well, you can be a
manager! It is fast and easy to sign up and it is a lot of fun. You get involved with the team and get to know possible future teammates. There are
several jobs that you have as a manger.
How to Become a Manager
Q&A with Middle School Managers
Managers help with many things. To become a manager you must express
your interest in managing to a coach of the team. You can email them or
talk to them in person. Coaches look for dedication in managers, but also
availability. Practices and games are very important for managers to attend. At practice, a manager may run the clock, set up the practice space,
and many other things. At a game, game film is very important. Managers
will help at games by filming the game and give the players water once they
get to the bench.
Managers must also uphold a certain standard of learning, as in to be on
the A-B honor roll. Both middle schoolers and high schoolers can be managers. By going to a summer camp or wanting to learn more about the sport,
you may become interested in being a manager. By being a manger it
might give you more interest in doing the sport in high school.
Claire, 7th
Coach Dade: Girls Basketball Coach
“Coaches only have two hands. There are a lot of
things that managers can take care of that frees up
coaches to do other things, such as running the clock
during drills in practice, setting up the court if we’re going
to do particular drills with maybe cones or a certain number of basketballs, or blocking pads and things like that.
So they help do things that coaches would normally have
to do and it just frees up the time. It also helps them to
become more familiar with the game,” said T.J. Dade,
Robinson Girls Basketball Coach.
Coach Johnson: Girls Volleyball Coach
“As a manager, you have to be able to come to all
of the games and practices. At games, you keep the
score, help with the book, or help with libero track. At
practices, you may help if the coach needs scoring,
help with drills, help prepare volleyballs, and help get
uniforms ready. Managers help keep things organized. At games, coaches need to make sure that
their teams are ready to play and the managers have
a role that they understand about what needs to be
set up, what needs to be done in order for the game
to be taken care of. For volleyball, the freshman and
JV teams both had two managers, and the varsity
team had three,” said Meghan Johnson, Robinson Girls Volleyball Coach.
By Alexa
Big Bertha
House better,” said Bailey, 8th.
In the cast of Fuller House, there are a few new
faces to add to the familiar ones.
Volume 44, Issue 3
Q: What sport do you manage? Field Hockey
Q: What do you do as a manager? I collect the
balls, time drills, and they sometime let us play with
the team during practice.
Q: What did you do to become a manager? I asked
the coach and she said yes. I know some of the
players on the team, so they put in a good word for
me.
Q: What’s your favorite part of being a manager? That I get to meet
all the players and the coaches. I also get to go to all the games.
Q: Do you think you have a better chance of making the team since
you are a manager? Definitely, because I get to know the coaches
and know what it is like.
Caitlin, 8th
Q: What sport do you manage? Softball
Q: What do you do as a manager? During practices
we will hand out balls and on game days we will
set up the field and we will control the score board.
Q: What did you do to become a manager? I went
to Mr. Hughes directly and asked him. He then
gave me a paper to fill out saying when I was available.
Q: What’s your favorite part of being a manager? We get into all the
games for free.
Q: Do you think you have a better chance of making the team since
you are a manager? Kind of because they already know who I am
and they know my personality.
Warren, 7th
Q: What sport do you manage? Baseball
Q: What do you do as a manager? I collect the
baseballs, bring out equipment, and help get water.
Q: What did you do to become a manager?
I asked Coach James directly and he said yes.
Q: What’s your favorite part of being a manager?
I get free admission to the games, get front row
seats, and get to be with the players.
Q: Do you think you have a better chance of making the team since you are a manager? Yes, because the coaches
and players are now more familiar with me.
2
Yes
No
Sports that allow
Middle School
Managers
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Field Hockey
Girls Basketball
Boys Basketball
Softball
Girls Lacrosse
Boys Lacrosse
Wrestling
Baseball
Boys Swim
Girls Swim
Volleyball
Boys/Girls Cross Country
Boys/Girls Soccer
Steps for Becoming
a Manager
1.
2.
3.
4.
Express your interest in being
a manager to a coach
Look at your schedule and
see if you are available
E-mail or directly ask the
coach if you could be a
manager
If the coach says “yes” have
fun managing!
The Medallion
April 2016
Volume 44, Issue 3
Pop Through the Decades
By Lauren
Many of us think pop music is a specific genre of its own. Some people might believe
that pop music has always had the same sound. We all have a picture of what pop music
is and it probably has been formed by what ever music played on the radio the most.
What many people don’t realize is, pop isn’t a specific style of music. Pop simply is popular
music.
The 50s
So technically, the music we all consider to be pop is really just genres of music that are
well liked. So what genres of music have been labeled as pop in the past? What artists
have been considered pop and what genre of music were they actually playing? Let’s
take a trip back in time and look at pop music from different decades with a new perspective.
Bennet, Nat King Cole, and Tony Como. All
of the artists wrote songs about different
The 50s were an interesting time in music.
subjects and had different singing styles.
It was a time when jazz, swing, and big
They recorded simple, canorous songs that
band were still very popular. It wasn’t until
were catchy and kept people singing their
the mid to late 50s that rock music emerged
music all day long. It is interesting to note
and revolutionized music. Even though this
that repetition and catchy choruses are still
was a major time for rock, pop music was
present in many of todays pop music. It
still largely influenced by jazz and swing. At
makes sense that part of the reason the
this time in history it was very rare to find
songs became popular in the first place is
mainstream bands. Almost all of the comthat they were easy to learn and listeners
mercial musicians were solo artists.
could sing the song whenever and wherevSome solo artists that were favored by the
er without having to look up the lyrics.
public at the time were Patti Page, Tony
The 70s
The 60s
The 80s
In the 1960s, rock really started making its
way into the world of music. Bands like the
Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Kinks,
which are now considered classic rock
bands and major influences of many other
artists, were just beginning to enter into
mainstream culture. Other musicians that
were well liked at the time were The Four
Tops, The Beach Boys, Ray Charles, and
Aretha Franklin.
Other than rock, the most popular music
genres of the time were DooWop, R&B/Soul,
and Motown. Aretha Franklin sang mostly
soul and R&B. Other famous singers who
sang soul and/or R&B were Marvin Gaye,
Stevie Wonder, and Ray Charles. Soul and
R&B was a major part of the Civil Rights
Movement. This genre of music consisted
mostly of African American musicians and it
helped to break down some of the barriers
of segregation in the music industry.
The 90s
There was a rise in the popularity of boy
bands, particularly the bands N’Sync, the
The pop music of the 90s was mainly fun
Backstreet Boys, and 98 degrees. It’s not
hip hop, dreamy boy bands, and female
hard to see why boy bands became popusingers whose sexual lyrics were more blalar. They play fun catchy songs, people
tant then ever before. Hip hop took a more
enjoy watching the bands fun dynamic in
techno route with their music and focused
interviews, and the most prominent reason
on being fun to dance to. Rappers like Vafor their popularity is the fact that they are
nilla Ice, MC Hammer, and Tone Loc all
all incredibly attractive. It’s obvious why
wrote songs about different subject matters.
there is a plethora of fangirls who will deMC Hammer wrote songs mainly about the
fend their favorite boyband until the end.
rise in his career and praying for the betterment of society. Artists like Tone Loc focused on putting more sexual lyrics and
innuendos into his music.
The 2010s
Pop music today has evolved and you can find music ranging from the song “See You Again” by Wiz
Khalifa and Charlie Puth to the song “Timber” by
Ke$ha featuring Pitbull. The one thing all pop songs
from this decade have in common so far is that all
their songs are catchy. It’s hard to find a pop song
that doesn’t have a section of it that you can’t easily
learn the lyrics to. In 2010 the number one song was
“Tik Tok” by Ke$ha. In 2015 the number one song was
“Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars. These are both songs
that were impossible not to sing along to at the time.
The musicians of the 2010s are also very unique. Artists
such as One Direction, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, and
Taylor Swift have all been consistently popular since
the beginning of the 2010s. There are also musicians
like Meghan Trainor and Iggy Azalea who came into
the music scene in 2014.
Rap has also been popular in the 2010s with artists
such as Drake, Eminem, and Kanye West who continue to produce outstanding music. Kanye West has
been a particularly hot topic. Most likely because of
pop culture during the 70s, it was only popular for a short time. Even revered musicians
Rock music thrived in the 1970s. Led Zeppelin,
Rod Stewart and Diana Ross made their own
The Ramones, Aerosmith, and the Sex Pistols
disco albums to join in on the phenomenon.
were wildly popular. The 1970s was a very
Soon though, people started rejecting disco
progressive time in musical history. Bands like
music. It was once thought of as fun, but
Blondie, The Ramones, and The Sex Pistols are
people eventually viewed it as silly and comconsidered to be punk rock because while
mercialized. Music fans began wearing
they still tried to continue the legacy of the
“Disco Sucks” t-shirts. This action paled in
60s, they also tried to influence people to
comparison to the radio stations who would
rebel against the status quo. There is another
hold public events where they would burn
genre that seems to be what comes to mind
disco albums. When it comes to disco all
when people think of the 70s, disco. Even
people can really say is, oh how the mighty
though disco seemed to define America’s
fall.
The 80s was a memorable time because
the pop music industry was completely redefined. MTV and the invention of cassette
tapes contributed to a higher availability to
music. Also, many pop artists such as Michael
Jackson and Madonna reached a standard
that many present pop stars are still being
compared to.
In the 80s, music fans became much more
interested in celebrity gossip and fashion. This
was probably due to the emergence of MTV.
MTV would show music videos and pop stars
would use these music videos to give people
a glimpse of upcoming trends.
For example, Madonna inspired a thousands of girls and created a unique style that
her fans could be identified by. Pop stars in
the 80s thrived by making catchy and fun
music, constantly changing their style, and
using their influence on the youth.
The 2000s
Similar to the 80s, the 2000s had many technological advances that helped make pop
One of the artists who became very popumusic popular. The main piece of technology
lar in the 2000s was Britney Spears with both
that changed pop music forever was free
her songs “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and
music sharing websites. For example, Napster
“Oops I Did It Again”. One of the other musishook the music world. The creator Shawn
cians who became famous was Eminem who
Fanning was only 18 when he made Napster.
rose to prominence when he started making
It became a very popular website because
albums that had inappropriate language in
people didn’t have to pay for the music and
them that many parents protested. This most
this way it was easier to distribute music to
likely enticed youth to buy his albums more
the masses. Napster soon came under heavy
because not only was he a good rapper,
legal fire. Warner Brothers Studio, BMG, and
they could also feel rebellious, cool, and
Universal Studios all sued napster for copyindependent by listening to the inappropriright infringement.
ate language.
his presence on social media, his ostentatious behavior, and his consistently good music. Drake also has
been very popular due to his song “Hotline Bling”.
The female pop stars of the 2010s are very different.
There are the female pop stars who focus on a sexual
aesthetic such as Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus. For example, Nicki Minaj came out with the song
“Anaconda” and Miley Cyrus came out with her alBum Bangerz. Then, there are singers like Taylor Swift
and Adele who are known for their more heartfelt
music. For example, Taylor Swift has the album 1989
and Adele came out with her song “Hello”.
Male pop artists such as One Direction and Justin
Bieber have been talked about quite a bit in the media. One Direction and Zayn Malik have been in the
news because on March 25, 2015 Zayn Malik announced he was quitting One Direction. He recently
came out with a new song, “Pillow Talk”, and One
Direction, now a four member band, came out with
an album called Made in the AM. Justin Bieber’s new
album has also been popular. His song “Love Yourself”
has been particularly well liked and it currently stands
as number six on the hot 100 music board.
All Time Top
10 Artists
1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. Elton John
4. Elvis Presley
5. Mariah Carey
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. The Rolling
Stones
Source:
Billboard Magazine
All Time Top 10 Songs
1. "The Twist," Chubby Checker, 1960
2. "Smooth," Santana Featuring Rob Thomas, 1999
3. "Mack The Knife," Bobby Darin, 1959
4. "How Do I Live," LeAnn
Rimes, 1997
5. "Party Rock Anthem," LMFAO, 2011
6. "I Gotta Feeling," The Black
Eyed Peas, 2009
7. "Macarena (Bayside Boys
Mix), Los Del Rio, 1996
8. "Physical," Olivia NewtonJohn, 1981
9. "You Light Up My
Life," Debbie Boone, 1997
10. "Hey Jude," The Beatles,
1968
Source: Billboard Magazine
All Time Top 10 Albums
1. 21, Adele, 2011
2. The Sound Of Music, Soundtrack, 1965
3. Thriller, Michael Jackson, 1983
4. Fearless, Taylor Swift, 2008
5. Born In The U.S.A., Bruce Springsteen, 1984
6. Ropin' The Wind, Garth Brooks, 1991
7. Jagged Little Pill, Alanis Morissette, 1995
8. Doctor Zhivago, Soundtrack, 1966,
9. All The Right Reasons, Nickelback, 2005
10. Tapestry, Carole King, 1971
Source: Billboard Magazine
3
The Medallion
April 2016
Volume 44, Issue 3
USA Women’s & Men’s Gymnastics Team
By Melora
Have you ever heard of Gabrielle Douglas Donnell Whittenburg? If
not, you’ll probably know their names by the end of this summer after
they both compete in the Summer Olympics as part of the Men’s
and Women’s USA Gymnastics Team. There are two different types of
teams, Senior and Junior. The difference between the two is based
on age. If you are 16 or older, then you are on the Senior Team. The
Junior Team is for gymnasts aged 11 to 15. USA Gymnastics has many
programs for all ages and skill levels, from beginner to advanced.
The Women’s Team was quite successful in the 2012 Olympic
Games. The team, nicknamed The Fierce Five, won the second team
gold medal for the United States, and the first gold medal on interna- The 2012 Women’s Gymnastics
Team, also know as the Fierce
tional soil. Originally referred to as the Fab Five, the five members of
Five, show off their medals
the team were Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Kyla Ross, and Jordyn Wieber. Later in the Olympic Games,
Douglas won a gold medal in the individual all-around event, becoming the first African-American to
ever do so. Maroney won silver on vault and Raisman, the team captain, won bronze on balance
beam and gold on floor exercise.
“Gold medals are made out of sweat, blood, and tears and effort in the gym everyday,” said Gabby
Douglas. Watch the games this summer to see if Gabby can bring home more gold for the USA.
Gabrielle Douglas Bio
Gabby Douglas is a senior level gymnast on the Women’s USA Gymnastics
Team. She was born on December 31,1995, is 20 years old and is 5’2’’ tall. At
age six she took her first gymnastics class, and by the time she was eight, she
was competing. Gabby grew up in Virginia Beach, VA and after winning the
Virginia State Finals at age 14, she convinced her mother to allow her to move
to Iowa to train with an elite coach, Liang Chow. While there, Douglas trained six days a week, and on
three of those days she trained twice each day. She now lives in Ohio and trains with coaches Christian Gallardo and Kittia Carpenter.
How does Gabby deal with the stress that comes with performing at such a high level? She says,
“Well, you can’t worry about who’s watching and “What if I mess up?” because if you do, you’ll mess
up. My coaches and my support system—like my family and my host family—they just give me encouraging words, and I meditate on those. Coach [Liang] Chow has me do pressure sets, which means
everyone in the gym comes and watches me and cheers really loud, so when I go to the competition,
I’m used to that atmosphere. At the competition, Chow was like “Just perform, and have fun. Pretend
like your teammates are right there judging you. You’re fine. Just take one of the perfect routines
you’ve done in training and move it onto the competition floor. Go out there and have fun.”
In addition to gymnastics, Gabby has authored two books, made cameos in a few television shows,
has had a Lifetime movie made about her and is currently being shadowed by a team who are producing a reality show about her and her family.
Fast Facts: GabbyDouglas
Home Town: Virginia Beach, VA
High School Graduation: 2015
Loves: Learning new skills and competing
Favorite Event: Floor and Beam
Favorite Food: Pizza and Greek yogurt
Books Written By Gabby:
Grace, Gold and Glory: My
Leap of Faith (2012) and
Raising the Bar (2013)
Donnell Whittenburg Bio
Donnell Whittenburg is
a senior level gymnast
on the Men’s USA Gymnastics Team. He was
born on August 18, 1994
and is 21 years old. Donnell is 5’3” tall.
Like most gymnasts,
Donnell got an early start
in the sport. “I began
gymnastics because I
was teaching myself skills
and doing "back yard
gymnastics" and my
mom didn't want me to
hurt myself. My coach
saw me in classes and
told my mom to put me
on the team,” said Whittenburg.
Accomplishments



2016 Pac Rim team,
still rings & parallel
bars champion and
all-around & vault
silver medalist
2016 American Cup
silver medalist
2016 Winter Cup still
rings champion and



vault bronze medalist
2015 World vault
bronze medalist.
Also finished eighth
in the all-around
and still rings
2015 U.S. still rings
champion, allaround & floor exercise silver medalist,
and vault bronze
medalist
2015 Pan American
Games team champion and floor exercise, still rings & vault




silver medalist
2015 Winter Cup
parallel bars silver
medalist and allaround bronze medalist
2014 DTB Pokal
World Cup allaround bronze medalist
2014 World Championships team bronze
medalist
2014 U.S. vault
champion and still
rings silver medalist
Fast Facts: Donnell Whittenburg
Home Town: Baltimore, MD
High School Graduation: 2012
Year Began Gymnastics: 2002
Favorite Event: Pommel Horse
Favorite Thing About Gymnastics:
Traveling
Favorite Food: I love all food
Favorite School Subject: Engineering
and technology
Hobbies: Skateboarding and
drumming
Favorite movies: Mortal Kombat,
American Pie, Zombieland
Favorite TV shows: Family Guy, Ninja
Warrior, Deadliest Warrior, Unbeatable
Banzuke, Man Vs Wild
Other sports involvement: Soccer ,
football, basketball
Inside the 2016 NFL Draft Prospects Coach Vossler on the NFL Draft
By Kelly, Carson, Diego Q: What are your thoughts about
this years NFL draft?
The 2016 NFL draft is on April 28-30. The draft is the event where coaches and owners of
NFL teams chose who they want on their team. They have to look at the player’s game, The draft will be interesting due to
stats, strengths and weaknesses. These players come straight out of college and decide the lack of top flight quarterback
if they want to go to the NFL. There are rules for players that don’t want to go to college prospects and the overall lack of
1st round talent on the offensive
and go straight to pro; the main restriction is that you have to be 19 to get drafted. Most
owners and coaches don’t want to take these players though, because they don’t have side of the ball. It will be interesting to see if teams take offensive
enough experience playing under the pressure of a big crowd. There are many good
players earlier than they are proprospects every year and it just gets harder and harder to pick the right players.
jected to go due to the lack of
offensive talent in this year’s draft.
Carson Wentz
Laremy Tunsil
Q: Do you think the Browns will start RGIII or
Age: 23
the quarterback they hope to draft, Carson
Age: 21
Height: 6’5”
Wentz?
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 223 lbs
If the Browns draft a QB they will start him.
Weight: 315 lbs
College: North
When teams draft QBs at the top of the draft
College: Ole Miss
Dakota
they need to figure out what kind of player
Hometown: Bismarck, North Dakota
they have as soon as possible.
Hometown: Lake City, Florida
High School: Bismarck Century HS
Q: What do you think are the deciding factors
High School: Columbia HS
Position: Quarterback
are in drafting college players?
Position: Offensive tackle
Other Information: He is the number one
Drafting players out of college is a little bit of
Other Information: He was a three year
a guessing game. If I were drafting I would
starter at left tackle for the Ole Miss Rebels quarterback for the draft this year. Wentz
certainly looks the part. Based on his
come up with a list of players in each round
and declared early entrance to the 2016
combine testing, he is most physically and
NFL draft. He started nine games at left
athletically similar to Blaine Gabbert,Blake
tackle as a true freshman. The 2015
season was difficult for Tunsil. He suffered a Bortles, Joe Flacco andAndrew
Luck coming out of college, according to
dislocated ankle and broken leg in Ole
ESPN’s combine similarity score. He will be
Miss' loss to TCU in the 2014 Peach Bowl.
Q: What are your thoughts on this
remembered at North Dakota.
This isn't the last of you’ll see of Laremy
year’s NFL Draft?
Tunsil.
I think this year’s NFL Draft is actually one of the weaker drafts in
Deforest
Jalen Ramsey
terms of big name players. Some
Age: 21
years there is a guy who is a clear
Buckner
Height: 6’1”
cut number one pick or a couple
Age: 22
Weight: 194 lbs.
of guys who are head and shoulHeight: 6’7”
College: Florida State ders better than everyone else and they are
Weight: 287 lbs
Hometown: Smyrna, Tennessee
competing amongst 2 or 3 guys for the numHigh School: Brentwood Academy
ber one spot. Usually it’s a big name quarterCollege: Oregon State
Position: Defensive Back
back. This year I am not confident that a
Hometown: Waianae, Hawaii
Other Information: Ramsey was a top-rated quarterback will go first. I think it might be an
High School: Punahou School
recruit out of Tennessee. He has been there offensive lineman like Laremy Tunsil.
Position: Defensive End
for three years and will be graduating in
Q: Do you think the Browns will start RGIII or
Other Information: Oregon's defense
2017. It is very uncommon to see a
the quarterback they hope to draft, Carson
struggled in 2015, but that was no fault of
defensive end projected as a top 3 pick.
Wentz?
Buckner's. He decided to return for his
senior season and continued to stand out, Jalen Ramsey has shown that he is definitely I think the Browns will go into training camp
with RGIII listed as the starter and their QB
starting all 13 games and finishing with 10.5 worthy of being a top prospect with his
unbelievable talent. In high school he was
draft pick, probably Carson Wentz, competsacks, 17.0 tackles for loss and 83 total
also on the track team and was very sucing for the job. It really depends on how the
tackles despite facing a steady stream of
cessful there by breaking the 16-year old
two do in camp and preseason games. I think
double- and triple-teams. According to
when all is said and done RGIII starts the seathe NFLPost.com he has met with the Cow- record set in 1997 at his final track meet.
son opener.
boys, Jaguars, Chargers and Titians.
that I felt were super competitive
and stayed healthy in college.
From what I've seen, the NFL has
lots of guys with similar talent. The
superstars are generally guys that
have a desire to be great at football and don’t care about much
else (think JJ Watt). Also, injury
history is important. Football is a
sport that physically wears your
body down. I would not draft guys who have
had past injury issues.
Q: Top 10 draft picks?
#1 Laremy Tunsil
#2 Carson Wentz
#3 Joey Bosa
#4 DeForest Buckner
#5 Myles Jack
#6 Jalen Ramsey
#7 Ronnie Stanley
#8 Shaq Lawson
#9 Ezekiel Elliott
#10 Vernon Hargreaves
Coach Richie Bevilaqua on the NFL Draft
4
Q: What do you think the deciding
factors are in drafting college players?
There are so many factors when
deciding which college player to
draft. Teams are looking at the tape
of their college career, they’re looking at the stats from the combine
such as 40 time, bench reps, vertical, height
and weight measurements, etc. They are also
looking at character and how they answer
interview questions.
Q: Who do you think the top ten draft picks
will be?
#1 Laremy Tunsil
#2 Carson Wentz
#3 Jalen Ramsey
#4 Joey Bosa
#5 Myles Jack
#6 DeFoerest Buckner
#7 Jared Goff
#8 Ezekiel Elliott
#9 Vernon Hargreaves
#10 Ronnie Stanley
The Medallion
April 2016
Volume 44, Issue 3
Robinson Boys Soccer
By Liam, Ryan and David
Varsity
Q&A with
Lucas Puranen, 12th
The varsity team is coached by Robert Garza. They have a total of 22
Q: Describe what it is like to be on the
players on the team. The team has
team?
nine midfielders, six defenders, five
A: It is a great honor to play for your school
forwards, and two keepers. Varsity
and it's an honor to play under the lights.
plays a 4-2-3-1 formation and someQ: How much dedication do you think is
times shifts to a 3-1-3-3 for more fireneeded to be on the team and how much
Maykel Nessium, 11th power during the game. Their leaddo you put?
goes for a tackle
ing goal scorer right now is forward
A: You need to bring 100% to practice and
against Broad Run.
Keyvan Montero (12th) with 3 goals, when you have games three or four times a week you need
and 2 assists. Lucas Puranen (12th) is to keep up.
second with 2 goals and 1 assist.
Q: When did you really think about playing soccer in high
school and why did you want to?
A: I knew Robinson had a good soccer team and I emailed
the coach my club team’s schedule. I made JV as a freshman.
Robinson has a long history of sport success; in soccer they Q: Who do you think is your toughest competition?
have been to the state finals three times. During the 1983A: District games are always the toughest when we play
1984 soccer season they were Northern Region runner up.
against Oakton and Herndon.
In 1987, they were the state runner-up and in 1991-1992
Q: What is your goal as a team to accomplish?
Regional runner-up. The season of 1992-1993 they were the A: Go as far as we can in the Regional tournament.
Northern Regional champions. The 1999-2000 soccer team
Q: What challenges have you faced over the season?
was the state runner-up. In the 2000 soccer season, RobinA: We lost a lot of seniors last year so getting the chemistry
son Boys Varsity Soccer won the AAA Region title. In 2009,
with the seniors and freshman has been a challenge.
Boys Varsity Soccer won the AAA Concorde District and the
AAA Northern Region title. To accompany these accolades, Boys Varsity went on a 12 game shut-out streak in
2009. Their most recent Regional title game was in 20112012 which they won. In last year’s soccer season, Boys
Q: Describe what it is like to be on the
Varsity Soccer beat Oakton in shootouts to take the Conferteam.
ence 5 Championship.
A: It is very cool to have your friends at
school and playing soccer with your
friends. The coaches are wonderful and
so are the staff managers.
Q: How much dedication is needed to
be on the team?
The JV soccer team is coached by A: You need a lot of dedication. You stay after school a lot
Rich Bevilacqua. Their roster has a
right after the last bell till the end of practice at around 5:30.
total of twenty two players on the
It does take a lot of dedication, but I think it’s worth it.
team. On the team, they have sev- Q: Why did you decide to play soccer in for Robinson?
en mid-fielders, eight defenders,
A: Mainly because our club coach encouraged us to play
five forwards, and two keepers. JV
high school soccer. This way we don’t miss a season and
Matt Glass, 10th pass- switches between a 4-2-3-1 fores the ball to a team- mation and a 4-4-2, but it depends don’t just sit around during spring season.
Q: Who do you think is your toughest competition and why?
mate.
on what the other team’s formation A: I think Westfield, the team we played yesterday. We
is. Their leading scorers are Daniel
played them and won 1-0 which was our closest win to a loss.
Cymes and Matt Glass.
Robinson Soccer History
Q&A with Jeffery
Hafner, 10th
JV
(Junior Varsity)
MLL and NCAA Lacrosse
Q&A with Coach
Robert Garza
Q: What do you look for in a
player?
A: We look for players who are
serious about the game and have
the drive to better themselves as
soccer players so they can represent qualities that make up a Robinson student-athlete. We look and evaluate every player’s
training ability, skill, field awareness, and knowledge of the
game both with and without the ball.
Q: What is your favorite thing about coaching Robinson
soccer?
A: I enjoy the faculties and fan base but one of the biggest
things I enjoy are the number of boys who wish to put on a
Robinson jersey. This shows me we are doing something right
for our community.
Q: What is a goal you hope to accomplish this year?
A: Our goal this year is of course to win the championship
but this year our goal is to earn one of the top two seeds
and go deeper in the Regional playoffs than in previous
season. With a small rebuild underway this year we are hoping to accomplish team unity and cohesion on the field.
Q: Who is your toughest competition in the district?
A: Our toughest competition in our district is Oakton. Over
the past few years Robinson vs Oakton games have become somewhat of a rivalry and have resulted in some
passionate play on the field. They have always been close
games and the mere fact we beat them for the championship last year in a PK shootout only intensifies this rivalry.
Q&A with Coach Rich
Bevilacqua, JV
Q: What do you look for in a player?
A: First thing I look for is a team player, a
lot of players come out thinking they have
great foot skills. They don’t know how to
make runs, run off the ball, pass, or be a
team player.
Q: What is your goal for the season?
A: My goal is to have new players get a real feel of what
high school soccer is really about so they are ready for varsity.
Q: What is your favorite thing about coaching Robinson
soccer?
A: The relationship with the kids. Getting to know them, and
watching them improve is so much fun.
Paul Rabil
By Connor Age: 30
Hometown:
Gaithersburg, MD
In the Major League Lacrosse (MLL), there are nine teams which are
Position: Midfielder
spread out across the country. The team that is closest to Robinson is the
Height: 6’3”
Chesapeake Bayhawks and they have won the championship four times.
Weight: 220 pounds
In NCAA, there are 61 Division One teams. UVA has won the championship
College: Johns Hopfour times. NCAA lacrosse is more popkins
ular because they have a lot more
Pro team: New York Lizards
teams for people to support and many
Awards: Two time all-American, four time WCAC
people enjoy supporting their local college team.
champion, national champion, USILA first team all
American, MLL all star, FIL worlds top midfielder
Yard Sale– when anyone playing defense
and MLL world champion
hits the person on offense and the offensive Records: Most points in a single season, fastest
Lax– shortened version of lacrosse
player drops their stick
shot (2010)
BTB– behind the back shot or pass
Midfielder-the position that plays offense
More information: Rabil started playing when he
Top Cheese or Top Cheddar– when you
and defense
was 12 years old. His first play was a turnover and
shoot the ball and it hits the very top of the Attack-the position that plays all offense
the other team scored right off that play. He wantnet
unless, the other team’s defense gets the
ed to quit, and didn't like lacrosse that much.
Head-the part of the stick that you throw
ball, then they can chase the person with
Things turned around in high school where his taland catch with
the ball until the midfield line
ent developed. Rabil went to high school with
Shaft– the metal or wooden part of the stick Defense– The position that only plays desome of the best high school players in the state
Mesh-the string part of the head with the
fense unless they get the ball then, they
which helped him improve. In high school, he was
diamond shaped holes
have to pass it to a midfielder or attacka two time All-American and four time WCAC
Shooting String– the horizontal strings in the men. But, if a midfielder can stay back on
champion. Paul recalls playing wall ball until it got
mesh
defense, then they can cross the midfield
dark, even then, he had his dad put his car lights
Crease-the circle around the goal that only line.
on so he could see.
the goalie and the defense can go in
Rip– a very strong shot on goal
Lacrosse Glossary
Q and A:
Coach Curran,
Robinson
Lacrosse Coach
1. Which do you like better: NCAA Lacrosse or MLL?
I like NCAA lacrosse better
because I think it means more to the players. I think it is special when a group of young men come together to represent their university.
2. How do you think Paul Rabil has impacted lacrosse
players over the years?
I think he has brought a tremendous amount of attention to
the game. He is the one player who is known by people
outside of lacrosse circles, which helps to grow the game
both in number of participants and spectators.
3. Who do you think is the best lacrosse player in the
world?
This is a difficult question to answer. Many would say Paul
Rabil because of his speed, size, and shot, but I think the
best player is still in college. I think the best player is Myles
Jones from Duke. He is 6’5”, 240 lbs, he is fast, he can shoot,
and he is an amazing passer.
4. Who do you think will win the MLL championship?
I don’t follow the MLL enough to prognosticate, but I’ll
cheer for the Chesapeake Bayhawks.
5. Who do you think will win the NCAA championship?
I think it will come down to Denver and Notre Dame again
this year and that Denver will repeat as champions.
6. What is your history as a lacrosse player and coach?
My history with Robinson Lacrosse goes back to before I
coached at Robinson. I played lacrosse for Robinson from
1988 through 1991. I started coaching at Robinson as an
assistant in 2006 and then I took over as head coach in
2011.
7. What is the outlook for the Robinson team this season?
I really like the 2016 team. We have some key returning
players, but we have a lot of new starters. Only four of our
10 starters return from last year, so some guys who were 2nd
string, on JV, or in 8th grade last year have had to step up
and play a lot. Even with 19 seniors graduating in 2015, I
think we have a good chance of winning another championship this season.
5
Myles
Jones
Age: 23
Hometown:
Huntington, NY
Position:
Midfielder
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 240 pounds
Current NCAA team: Duke
Awards: Nation’s top midfielder, USILA
All-America, and first team Tewaaraton
Finalist
Spot in draft: The Atlanta Blaze have told
him they are going to pick him for the
number one pick.
More information: Last year Myles had to
get six stiches in his right hand so he
could barely shoot with his lacrosse stick.
He had to play the rest of the season
lefty. At the time he was not very good
with his left hand so he practiced and
practiced. Now, he is dominant with his
right and left hand. Also, he can shoot
incredibly hard with both hands, and is
said to be one of the best lacrosse players ever.
8. What are your biggest strengths and challenges?
Our biggest strengths are our returning starters, Johnny Daniel on attack, Austin Henry at midfield, Joe Otero on defense, and Matthew Bethard at goalie, along with our two
dominant faceoff guys, Nick Rowlett and Tyler Iriondo and
our do it all midfielder Danny Krug. Even though we graduated so many guys, we also have more depth at midfield
this year than we did last year. Our biggest challenge this
year will be our youth and inexperience. We have four freshmen on varsity, five sophomores, and fourteen juniors, with
only ten seniors. The questions are whether guys like Josh
Sellers, Jack Dillon, and freshman Calvin Miller can step up
on defense and Liam Curran, freshman Declan Connolly,
Holden Patterson, Sam Swagerty, Reid Scarborough, and
Nick Dillon can step up on offense. I think they can.
9. Who do you expect to be your biggest challenge in the
district?
Chantilly is always our biggest challenge, but this year there
are a lot of good teams. Oakton, Centreville, and Westfield
all have very good teams and Herndon has improved dramatically since last year, so every conference game is going to be tough.
The Medallion
April 2016
Volume 44, Issue 3
Spring DIYs
By Esther and Darci
Red Rose Crown
Glow in the Dark Jars
Things you need: Red nail polish,
black nail polish and green nail
polish
Step 1: Paint round circles with your
red nail polish. Wait for at least 2
minutes.
Step 2: Next, use your black nail
polish and lightly make rounded lines
and inside the red circles.
Step 3: Use your green nail polish to
lightly paint on small green dots outside of the red circles.
Things you need: Glow in the dark puffy
paint and a jar
Step 1: Use the puffy paint and drop
little drops of the paint on the jar.
Step 2: Let it dry and then you’re done!
Other DIYs
to Try





Things you need: Fake flowers, chocolate or

mini chocolate eggs, and a small vase.
DIY Spring Vases
Step 1: Take your flowers and arrange them
in the vase.
Step 2: Now take your eggs and pour them
into your vase.
Melted Crayons into Flowers
Things you need: Crayons (color of your
choice), a real flower without the stem or a
drawing, glue gun and hair dryer.
Step 1: Glue down your crayons down on a
thick piece of paper.
Step 2: Glue down your flower a few inches
away from the crayons on top.
Step 3: Use your hair dryer and point it towards the flower to make the melted crayons look like the stem.
Step 4: Let it dry and you’re done!!
Flower Snacks
Things you need: 6 yellow and 1 pink
M&M, 1 squared pretzel and white frosting.
Step 1: Make a small dot with your white
frosting in the middle of the pretzel.
Step 2 : Take your pink M&M and place
it in the middle of the white frosting.
Step 3: Use your yellow M&Ms and
place them around the pink M&M.
Marshmallow Treats and Ice
Cream
Ingredients:
 1 1/2 quarts ice cream, softened




3 tablespoons butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups of cereal
Square cookie cutter
Fruity Pebble Dreams:
Vanilla Ice Cream + Fruity Pebbles Marshmallow Treats
Luck of the Irish:
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream + Lucky Charms Marshmallow Treats
Peanut Butter Cookie Monster:
Peanut Butter Ice Cream + 3 cups Reese's Puff's, 3 cups Cookie Krisp
Marshmallow Treats
Step 1: In a large bowl mix ice cream to soften and place onto a
plastic wrap lined casserole dish or baking sheet in an even flat layer.
Flower Petal Dresses
You want the ice cream to be about an inch thick. Cover the dish
Things you need: Flower petals, a pen- and place ice cream in the freezer overnight to set.
cil and some paper.
Step 2: In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows
Step 1: Draw a person.
and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and add cereal.
Step 2: Choose flower petals in the
Mix until all of the cereal is coated.
color you would like the dress to be.
Step 3: Pour cereal mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan that's been
Step 3: Take your flower and pick off
sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Let cool. Using a square cookie
the petals of the flower.
cutter, cut two squares out of the cereal.
Step 4: Place the flower petals where Step 4: Take out the ice cream. Cut it into squares. Place it in beyou want them to be creating a skirt.
tween the two cereal squares.
Sharpie Phone
Case
Homemade
Chap stick
Spoon
Candle
Fruit Art
Nail Art
Duck Tape
Wallet
Strawberry Treat
Things you need:
Strawberries, small
melon scooper,
whip cream, and
optional blue berries.
Step 1: Wash your
strawberries with cool water.
Step 2: Cut off the leaves and scoop the
middle part of the strawberry.
Step 3: Use the whip cream and squirt it in
the middle.
Step 4: Place one blue berry on top of the
whip cream.
Spring Flower Cookies
Things you need: Oreo cookies, different
colored sprinkles, mini marshmallows, yellow
icing, and scissors
Step 1: Frost the top of the cookie.
Step 2: Cut each marshmallow in half to
create the flower petals.
Step 3: Put your sprinkles on the inside of the
marshmallow.
Step 4: Put your
marshmallows
in a circle on
the icing.
Living With Your Hair
By Jessica
Do you have curly or wavy hair? Is your hair hard to han- thing wrong with your hair or wonder why your hair is acting how to keep your hair healthy, what styles could be for you,
dle? Do you have a problem with frizz control or how the
the way its acting? If you answered yes to any of the ques- what you could be doing wrong and what new things you
texture of your hair is? Do you feel as if you're doing sometions given, then read on and discover information about
may want to give a try.
Curly
Wavy
Straight
Dealing with curls
Dealing with waves
Dealing with straight hair
For people with tight curls or ringlets, your hair texture can
vary. While some can have soft curls, others can have a coarser feel. Curly hair is much more likely to become damaged,
dry and unhealthy. Sleeping with a satin pillowcase, using
deep conditioner, letting it dry naturally or with a blow dryer on
low heat and then using leave-in conditioner are the best
ways to keep your hair healthy.
Hair with waves or a mix of waves and loose curls is
typically very soft. But, any type of hair can become
brittle and have a ridged feel if not taken care of
properly. For those waves or mix of curls, you'll want to
keep your hair well moisturized. One way to keep your
hair moisturized is to get a moisturizing shampoo and
conditioner. This will help keep your hair soft and
healthy.
For people with straight or a mix of straight and wavy hair,
its possible that your hair will lose its volume and become flat
and thin over time. Ways you can help keep your hair from
falling flat and to help make it look full is to get a volumizing
shampoo and conditioner. Using argan oil on this type of hair
is also beneficial for keeping hair smooth and shiny. Also, consider using a mousse or light gel for frizz control.
What you're doing wrong
Girls with curls tend to make lots of
mistakes such as using a brush in the
shower. While using a brush could help
get rid of those impossible tangles, it will
hurt your curls and make them flatter.
Instead, use conditioner and let it sit.
The conditioner will make it easier to
detangle, so gently use your fingers to
detangle and wash it out. There are
people who make a living off of tending to curly hair. Getting a professional curly hairdresser will
help you. Limit the amount of shampoo you use, or don't use
ones with sulfates. Sulfates dry hair out. Be sure to use conditioner and leave it in for awhile before washing it out. Let your
hair dry naturally because using a blow dryer will only make
your hair fluffy and frizzy. Letting curly hair dry naturally is the
best way to keep the curls intact and healthy.
Hairstyles
If you want something short, a pixie cut is the
way to go. This haircut uses long ends at the top
to show off the texture and shine of your hair. To
keep this style nice, let your hair dry naturally
after taking a shower. Another good style for
tight curls is a steep layers cut. This style is long
and wispy and also looks big and beautiful.
“My hairstyle is
straight. My hair can
be hard to deal with in
the morning because
it sticks up, but my hair
is pretty easy because
its short. If I could have
a different hair type, it
would be curly.”
-Cynthia, 8th
What you're doing wrong
What you're doing wrong
Hairstyles
Girls with straight hair tend to do a
couple things wrong. Dealing with tangles is the first issue. You want to brush
it out by slowly making your way from
the bottom to the top. Brushing top to
bottom could lead to breakage when
dealing with tangles. When curling hair
with a heated curling device, you must
be careful as it is easy to damage the
hair. Be sure to apply a heat protectant product before applying heat. This will help keep it healthy
and nourished. Using a straightener can also lead to damaged hair, especially if you do it every day. Once again, be
sure to apply a heat protectant product before beginning.
Also, don’t use your straightener on the highest heat setting.
Consider using a frizz control product instead of straightening
everyday.
If you're looking for a style with soft bangs and nice
waves, then this one is for you. Blended
bangs is a good style for people with soft
textured hair. Another style to try is long,
loose waves. The hair is straighter at the
roots and travels down the sides with soft
waves. This style is easy and beautiful for
anyone with a mix of straight and wavy
hair.
Front layers are a beautiful hairstyle for girls
with straight hair. It consists of heavily layered
parts in the front while less layered in the back;
perfect for styling. Long with bangs. It’s a gorgeous and elegant hairstyle that fits around
everyone out there with straight hair. The bangs
should create a triangle shape that line with
your eyes and shouldn't be cut too wide.
First things first, nourish your
hair by applying the product
you use correctly. Lots of girls
get this wrong. Get a good
product for hydration and if
your hair is damaged, then get
one with argon oil in it. Argon
oil is perfect for healing hair.
Massage the oil into your hair
evenly. Make sure not to put too much product in or
your hair will flatten out or even look greasy. Be careful
when brushing your hair if you want it to be smooth
rather than frizzy. Dry brushing wavy hair is a sure way
to pump up the volume...and the frizz. Finger comb dry
hair instead.
“I have wavy hair. It is
really hard to make it
straight. Taking a
shower everyday
helps make it easier
to handle. I do it for
five minutes in the
morning.”
-Tatiana, 7th
“My hair type is really
thick and really annoying. I cut it short because
long hair takes a long
time. If I could have different hair, I would want
thick curls that are nicer
and are easy to take
care of.”
-Arlee, 8th
6
Hairstyles
“My hair is sort of
curly, but not quite.
It’s hard to deal with
because it gets very
knotted. It’s short so I
don’t have to do a
lot of stuff to it. My
favorite product is a
hair brush.”
-Sarah, 7th
The Medallion
April 2016
Volume 44, Issue 3
Do Aliens Exist?
By Noah and Jack
What Are Aliens?
When NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Act)
was asked about this question, NASA’s own Sara
Aliens are defined by the dictionary as, “a Seager, professor of planetary science and physics at
hypothetical or fictional being from another the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Camworld”. Images of these life forms range from bridge, Massachusetts said, "Astronomers think it is very
likely that every single star in our Milky Way galaxy has a
bacteria-like organisms to entire civilizations
planet.” With the number of stars in the Milky Way
which are more advanced than those on
(about 100 to 400 billion) this adds up to a lot of planets
Earth. The science of extraterrestrial life is
called exobiology, and while many scientists that could have life. It is interesting to note that the
Milky Way is tiny compared to galaxies like Hercules A.
believe extraterrestrial life exists, there is no
Some people believe in an idea called the Fermi Parproof.
adox
which was introduced by Enrico Fermi. The Fermi
The media, authors, scientists, the entertainment industry and even
Paradox states that if there is life outside of Earth than
NASA have had a fascination with these beings for a long time.
we would have been visited before or have some sign
Many people obsess over the ideas of aliens, what they look like,
of proof or contact. Many people claim that aliens
where the come from, have we seen them before? Do so many
have made contact with earth but their not current
people believe in aliens because of all of the movies and books
proof.
featuring visitors from outer space? Nobody can be sure of their exAnother popular idea is the Drake Equation which
istence or not, but many have speculated about the idea of life
states that the law of averages helps show that there
outside of earth.
are nearly one million planets where life could be possible. With those numbers, the theory rationalizes that
there is definite room for life in outer space.
The Kepler telescope found the Goldilocks Zones
Encounters with aliens are reported everyday and from all corners
of the world, including the African nation of Zimbabwe. On Septem- which were named after Goldilocks (from The Three
Bears) who attempts to get everything just right. The
ber 14, 1985, 62 school children were having their morning break,
while the teachers were inside having a meeting. The children saw a
glowing ball that descended to the ground. A human like man
came out of the ship; he was around three feet tall with large eyes
Dexi, 7th
Allen, 8th
and a slim neck. The alien stared at the children for a moment beQ: If aliens
fore leaving in his space craft and flying off at a great speed. All the Q:What evidence makes
don’t exist,
students were later interviewed about their encounter with the alwhy do you
ien. All 62 students, age five to twelve, told the same story about the you think that
believe
“man” and his ship. Many people are convinced that this was not a aliens exist?
A: The unithat?
lie for a couple of reasons. All of the students repeated the same
verse is so big, there is
A: There is no evidence or
story, even the youngest children. The older students also said that
bound to be something out proof of aliens on Earth
the small “man” communicated to them through his stare. The chilthere. Everyday we are
and there are no real
dren claimed that he told them that the Earth is destroyed and polphotos or videos of aliens.
luted beyond repair. Although most reported sightings of aliens have discovering more planets
too.
Q: Why do you think other
been dismissed as lies, others wonder if all these “lies” and “fake”
Q: What does an alien look people believe in aliens?
stories actually mean something.
like to you?
A: They believe in aliens
A: A skinny, green thing with because they want to
antennas.
make stuff up, joke
Q: Do you think that aliens
around and mess with
have visited humans bepeople.
65% say YES
fore?
Q: What do you think of
A: No, because there are
people who believe in
27% say NO
no objects or artifacts to
aliens?
prove it. They probably
A: I think they are crazy
8% are unsure *200 students polled don't have enough tech- and weird.
nology to land on Earth.
Close Encounters
planets are not too hot and
not too cold but just right for
life, so many look to these
as possible proof of alien
life. Though no aliens have
been found in the Goldilocks zone, many look to it
as the closest place where
we might find extraterrestrial life. Outside the
Goldilocks zone there are
other planets that could sustain life, but they are millions
of light years away so there will be no way to know if
there is life on these planets for a long time.
There is no certain answer to the question if are aliens
real. Many people believe in aliens because the universe is infinite and there is always the possibility of life.
Many people who don’t believe in aliens site the Fermi
paradox and how their has been no proof and no images, only witness testimonies to back up claims of visitors from other planets. The world knows surprisingly little
about the vast universe and all the galaxies and stars
and planets and moons that are inside. If there is life on
Earth, could there could be life on other planets or in
other galaxies?
Rams Talk: Do YOU believe that aliens exist?
Do Rams Believe In Aliens?
Marvel vs. DC Comics
Star Wars vs. Star Trek
By Joseph
Who would win in a battle – Star Wars or Star
Trek? This question has been pondered over by
many geeks throughout the ages, but there is no
definitive answer.
“Star Wars would use the Force to blow up their
spaceships. Luke would use the Force to rip their
ships apart. That is why Star Wars would win,” said
Jadon Mathew, 7th.
To truly know who would win, you have to learn
more about their technology and weapons systems. Let’s start with weapons. In Star Wars,
they have lightsabers which can cut through almost anything. They have laser guns which
can be set to stun or kill, and usually have more powerful guns than Star Trek guns. In Star
Trek, they have phasers which have four settings, stun, kill, heat, and disintegrate. Some
other species even use disruptors and other weapons. Star Trek ships can also beam people
out of trouble as well as load explosives onto the bridges of other ships attacking them.
They also can fire photon, special, plasma, gravimetric, quantum, polaron, transphasic,
phased plasma, chroniton, and spatial torpedoes.
“[I think] Star Wars would win because I don’t know what Star Trek is. Also, I think Star Wars
is better because the lightsabers are really cool,” said Tala Sami, 7th.
Another important aspect to consider is the speed of their ships. While Star Wars ships can
go light speed and a little bit above, Star Trek ships can go many times faster than the
speed of light. Star Wars ships have to plan their course ahead of time, so that they do not
crash, but Star Trek ships can go directly into warp speed and maneuver from warp speed.
The fastest Star Trek ship speed was 21,000 times the speed of light, whereas the fastest
speed in Star Wars was 16,500 times the speed of light.
“Star Wars has better ship speed because they have individual ships that are faster. I
don’t think Star Trek has more speed because they usually control only one ship,” said Tiffany Pham, 8th.
The final area to consider is shields. While almost every ship in Star Trek has a portable
shield that works fine, in Star Wars the shields always are blasted away by a handgun laser
blast. However, some Star Wars shields can be very good. Ever heard of the moon-based
shield on the moon Endor in Star Wars? If a ship runs into it, supposedly they will be disintegrated or become very damaged. In Star Trek, you can not teleport through shields, so they
are definitely quite powerful.
“Star Trek has better shields, however, Star Wars does not detail how their shields work. Star
Trek also uses them for creative purposes, and they seem more realistic,” said Jack Howell,
8th.
Who do you think would win in this ultimate battle?
Star Wars and Star Trek Quiz
1. Which Star Wars character started as a
Jedi, but went to the Dark Side?
A: Shaak Ti
B: Count Dooku
2. Which Star Trek alien can look like any
other species it wants to?
A: Horta
B: M-113 Creature
3. What does the Jedi code state?
Mikey , 8th
Q: What
evidence
makes you
think that
aliens exist?
A: There are
so many planets that are
undiscovered and the
chances of one having
life seems very likely. Plus,
aliens took my dog.
Q: What does an alien
look like to you?
A: Aliens look green and
slimy.
Q: Do you think aliens
have visited humans
before?
A: Yes, they took my dog.
4. Who is the captain of the Enterprise in the
old series of Star Trek?
A: James T. Kirk
B: Jean-Luc Picard
5. Can the Q from Star Trek be hurt?
A: Yes
B: No
6. Can lightsabers cut through everything?
A: Yes
B: No
Answers
1 - b, 2 - b, 3 - There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there
is harmony. There is no death, there is the Force. 4 - A, 5 - A,
6 - B, They cannot cut through other lightsabers.
Amari, 8th
Q: What evidence makes
you think that
aliens exist?
A: The universe
is infinite and
there is always a chance
that there is a planet similar
to ours where alien life might
exist.
Q: What does an alien look
like to you?
A: They are tall, skinny,
green, with black eyes and
long arms too.
Q: Do you think that aliens
have visited humans before?
A: No, there is no proof or
real pictures of aliens.
By Elaine
Avengers vs The Justice League
Thor vs. Aquaman
When it comes to comparing
these two teams, there is a lot
they have in common.
Marvel has Iron Man and DC
Comics has the Atom. Both heroes are billionaire geniuses who created
suits to help them fight. However, their suits
are quite different. The Atom’s suit can shrink
down enough to go into someone's bloodstream. Iron Man’s suit allows him to fly, communicate, deploy weapons, and protect his
body.
Hawkeye (Marvel) and Green Arrow (DC)
don’t have powers, but both are skilled
archers. They both are skilled fighters and
use a variety of arrows that can perform
extreme duties such as tracking or exploding.
Even though these two teams
might seem very different but if
they were to be in a battle these
two teams would be evenly
matched.
In a battle between Aquaman
and Thor, Thor has the upper
hand due to three features. He is
superior due to his super strength,
resistance to injury, and the fact
that Thor can use his control over lightning to
fry Aquaman out of the sea waters. Aquaman possesses super strength, durability,
control over sea, exceptional swimming, and
the ability to breathe underwater. However,
if Aquaman goes deep enough
in the water he might be able to
avoid becoming fried calamari
thanks to Thor's lightning.
Deadpool vs. Deathstroke
Thanos vs. Darksied
In a battle between these
two, Thanos has the upper
hand due to his invincibility, his
glove that holds four of the six
infinity stones, and his immunity to disease. Darksied has
invincibility, but he is not as powerful as
Thanos. If Darksied were to accidentally
touch an infinity stone it is likely that he
would explode and there would be nothing
left of him. But if Darksied used the rocks he
collected from Bizzaro planet he could use
their power to trap Thanos. If
Thanos can counteract the
trap with one of his infinity
stones, then he would definitely win against Darksied.
In a battle, Deadpool has the
advantage over Deathstroke
because of his regeneration abilities. For example, if Deadpool
gets his hand cut off it, comes
back as a baby-sized hand and will grow to
a normal size in a day or two. Deathstroke
has exceptional martial artist skills, combat
strategy, and exceptional durability. He also
has enhanced strength and speed, he’s a
weapons expert, has superhuman agility
Antman vs. Atom
and is a master swordsman. Both of these
anti-heroes are equal in strength but DeathIn an battle between Antman
stroke has more skill/experience. Both of
and the Atom, Antman would
these assassins have the same goal to kill
most likely win because of his
whom ever oppose them. For
control over the ants. These two
Deadpool that will be the guy
heroes are alike in many ways,
who wants to take away every
they both have suits that can shrink to a submutant’s powers. For Deathstroke atomic size. While the Atom is smarter than
that is most of the Justice League. the Antman, he still would have to figure out
how to deal with all the ants
being controlled by the Antman. The Atom possesses the
power to shrink down to the
subatomic level while retaining his natural strength level.
7
The Medallion
April 2016
Volume 44, Issue 3
Coming Soon to a Theater Near You
Book Review
By Zachary and Andrew
Finding Dory
X-men Apocalypse
Release Date: June 17
Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brookes, Ty Burrell
Genre: Amination/Adventure
Summary: Dory searches for
her long lost parents with the
help of Nemo and Marlin. Dory
finds new friends along the way. Will she find
her parents or just forget?
Release Date: May 27
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence,
Sophie Turner, James McAvoy
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Summary: A mutant who is
treated as a god from ancient
times comes back to try to form
a world of order. He gathers support from
other mutants, and a new team of X-Men
have to stop him.
Angry Birds
Now You See Me 2
Release Date: May 20
Starring: Jason Sudekis, Peter
Dinklage, Bill Hader,
Genre: Action/Comedy
Summary: Watch the Angry
Birds come to life in this animate comedy. The Angry Birds
search for help from the Mighty Eagle when
pigs come to their island under mysterious
pretenses.
Release Date: June 10
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Jesse
Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson,
Mark Rufflalo, Michael Caine,
MorganFreeman
Genre: Thriller/Action
Summary: The Four Horseman,
some of the best magicians in the world,
must pull off one more act to pull the rug out
from a fake magician.
Warcraft
Independence Day
Resurgence
Releases Date: June 10
Genre: Fantasy/Action
Starring: Travis Fimmel, Paula
Patton, Ben Foster, Clancy
Brown, Dominic Cooper
Summary: Two Kingdoms are
on the path to war. One side
wants freedom for their race, the other
wants nothing to do with them. Who will
emerge victorious?
Release Date: June 24
Genre: Sci-Fi Action/Fantasy
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Liam
Hemsworth, Brent SpinerSummary: Years after the first
alien invasion, the aliens have
returned, but this time with more backup.
After preparing for years, will they be ready
to fight off the aliens again?
The Shallows
Money Monster
Release Date: June 24
Genre Drama/Thriller
Starring: Blake Lively
Summary: A surfer is injured by
a great white shark while surfing alone. Clinging to a rock
only 200 yards from the shore,
she must fight for survival as the great white
circles her.
Release Date: May 13
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Starring: George Clooney, Julia
Roberts, Jack O’Connel, Dominic West
Summary: A money guru is taken hostage by a man who lost
everything on one of his shows. Can this
master of persuasion change this man’s
mind.
By Bobby
Captain America Civil War
Release Date: May 6
Starring: Robert Downey
Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy
Renner, Tom Holland
Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi
Summary: The government
tries to oppress the Avengers
but not all like this decision. They then separate into different groups and fight for supremacy over each other.
Fablehaven
by Brandon Mull
Fablehaven is a fantasy series authored
by Brandon Mull. It is
filled with magic, fairies, and satyrs (goat
men). If you enjoy
Harry Potter and Narnia, you will most likely
Alice Through the
enjoy this series.
Looking Glass
There are two main
Release Date: May 27
characters, Kendra
Starring: Johnny Depp, Mia
and Seth Sorenson.
They are sent to their
Wasikowka, Anne Hathaway,
grandparents house for part of the summer.
Helena Bonham Carter
Little do they know that their grandparent's
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
land is really one of five secret magical
Summary: Alice comes back to
preserves.
Wonderland to find the crazy Mad Hatter
For hundreds of years, mystical creatures
who finds himself in a lot of trouble. It is Alhave lived in Fablehaven, which is a sanctuice’s job to save him.
ary to prevent their extinction. It is a magical, exciting and dangerous place.
Teenage Mutant
Fablehaven’s plot is centered around sibNinja Turtles 2
lings Kendra and Seth. Throughout the book
Release Date: June 3
Seth repeatedly disobeys rules which disGenre: Fantasy/Action
rupts the delicate balance of hierarchy in
Starring : Megan Fox, Stephen
Fablehaven. Seth’s rule breaking turns out to
Amell, Will Arnett , Tyler Perry
have some interesting consequences. WithSummary: The four teenage
out his disregard for rules, the siblings may
turtles must fight a new threat in
never have found out what Fablehaven
this sequel. Shredder, from the first movie,
really was. Kendra’s strict adherence to rules
has died, but now a new Super Shredder rolls
and love for puzzles is a key component to
onto the block.
the book. Without these traits, she never
would have found what the keys went to.
The storyline of this book follows Kendra
Me Before You
and Seth as they discover what Grandpa
Release Date: June 3
Sorenson’s land really is and to restore
Genre: Drama
peace to Fablehaven.
Starring: Emila Clarke, Sam
Fablehaven is a great series for both kids/
Clafin, Jenna Coleman
teens and adults. While much of this first
Summary: A quadriplegic man
book is focused on world building, the follow
who is greatly depressed and
-ons provide plenty of adventure and exon the brink of suicide is given
citement. There are five books in the series
six months to decide whether to end his life
as well as a companion book, The Caretakor not. Will he change his mind when a speer’s Guide to Fablehaven.
cial caretaker comes into his life?
What’s New After School
By Ariana
Basketball Programs
Volleyball clinics
Description: Clinic meets Mondays and Thursdays from March-June in the gym. Sign up in
the cafeteria during lunch period. This is a fun
way to improve and master your volleyball
skills.
Benefits: Students who attend will get to work
with current coaches as well as players from
the varsity team. This is a great way to learn
new skills and brush up on old ones. Additionally, students will be able to see what Coach
Johnson is looking for in future team members.
Girls Description: The girls meet on Mondays in the gym. This clinic is geared towards
girls who are interested in basketball, learning basic skills and working to learn new
skills. Coach Dade, Robinson’s Girls Basketball coach, will run this clinic.
Boys Description: This clinic is open the eighth grade boys. Meetings are Wednesdays from March-May in the gym. Coach Nelson, Robinson Boys Basketball coach,
will run this clinic.
Benefits of the Programs: Both programs are geared towards helping students develop their basketball skills to include ball handling, shooting and offensive/
defensive strategies. Each clinic provides the opportunity for students to work directly with the varsity coaches and players. Getting some face time with coaches will
help them see your talent as well as provide students with the opportunity to get to
know the coaches.
Cheerleading
Description: This clinic meets from FebruaryApril in the wrestling room. Students can learn
chants, pom pom moves and practice tumbling.
Benefits: This is a great opportunity to improve
your skills for tryouts for the Robinson Cheer
Team. Students will practice with the Coach
Wasserman and Robinson cheerleaders.
“I like the volleyball clinics because you learn
new skills. You
also get to have
a one on one
game with the
coaches, and
Field Hockey
also while playDescription: This clinic meets from March-May
ing in the gym
located in the gym. Students will work on basic
you listen to muskills of the game and learn how to play under sic. I would recommend this to anyvarsity coach, Ms. Arnsmeyer.
one who just wants to stay active or
Benefits: This clinic focuses on skill drills which
wants to make a new friend, and
help improve each player’s pass and receive, even connect with other girls that
goal scoring technique, ball control, off-ball
like volleyball.”
movement and defensive skills. Working with
the varsity coach and members of the team is - Alexis, 8th
a great way to see what this sport is all about.
Disc Golf
Fun Fact: Disc golf is one of the fastest growing sports in the
country. Robinson has a disc golf course on campus.
Description: Disc Golf meets after school on Thursdays in
room D100. Students will work on basic skills needed for disc
golf such as how to properly throw the disc, driving and
putting. Learning the basic rules of the game as well as
course designs will help introduce students to this sport. This
clinic is open to all middle school students.
Benefits: At meetings, students typically work on skills such as
backhand and forehand drives, approaches and putts.
Another fun part of the club are the competitions. Discs are
provided for student use.
“I like the
“I like the basketvolleyball
ball clinics beclinics because I like how it
cause I like
helps you imthe coachprove your bases. It teaches
ketball skills. You
you really
also get the
good skills. I
chance to work
would recwith Coach
ommend this
Dade. I would
to anyone
recommend this
who wants to have fun and
to any girl who likes basketball and
learn something new about voljust wants to learn new skills, and
plans on trying out next year for Rob- leyball.”
inson.”
-Ashlee, 8th
-Roba, 7th
Yoga
Description: Meetings are after school on
Mondays in Davala Hall. Students who
participate in yoga club learn the benefits of a regular yoga practice on their
health. A focus will be on breathing,
learning the poses and practicing mindfulness. Students will learn how each
posture has a purpose or meaning to it.
Benefits: Classes will include a wellrounded introduction to yoga postures,
relaxation techniques, concentration
and mindfulness. Individualized attention
will be given in order to optimize each
student’s position in the poses, as they are encouraged to listen to their bodies and move at
their own pace.
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